4.14.2007

shall give us his life in exchange

Theological question I've been pondering, which may or may not have an "official" answer, I don't know. A quick google of the question offered nothing. But did Christ know the resurrection was coming when He offered Himself up to the cross? Did He know it was going to be a quick death, or did He head to Calvary believing it was a permanent solution?

Argument 1: Christ, fully God while fully man, was omnipotent. He and the Father spoke often and at length. He was God and He knew the mind of God. He tells the thief that he was going to be in Paradise with Him, indicating some foreknowledge of coming events. He tells His disciples that they will see Him again. Jesus cites Jonah as an example of a miracle occurring after three days. Thus, it is clear that Christ knew that He'd be returning to life soon after death.

Argument 2: The Abraham/Isaac story is supposed to be a foreshadowing of God giving up His own Son, and Isaac had no clue what was going on. Christ wept tears of blood in the garden thinking about the punishment He was going to undergo. Would it have been so intense if He had known that Sunday was coming? If Christ endured death as mortals endure death, then the permanence and despair that accompanies death is part of that -- a part that would be removed had Christ known that He was going to be resurrected. It would be like donating all your money to charity knowing you were winning the lottery the next day -- not really a sacrifice.

My guess is that argument one is likely the victor with the response to argument two that separation from God even for a millisecond is such agony and punishment that enduring it for three seconds much less three days is indeed a sacrifice regardless of whether or not the outcome was known ahead of time. While that is the likely correct position, I will cling to argument two and the beauty of a sacrifice where Christ was willing to be eternally separated from God for His enemies. That to me seems like the depth of the love of God I've been pondering for the last few weeks.

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